


A Game of Hide and Seek

by paien



Series: To Raise a Child (Templar Style) [2]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: And a hint of Kenway family cuteness, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Templar boyband tackles babysitting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 08:04:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17280218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paien/pseuds/paien
Summary: Haytham is away once more and the Templars are tasked with entertaining Connor for the day.





	A Game of Hide and Seek

**Author's Note:**

> The second installment in the Templar babysitting series! :D

“Well, gentlemen,” Haytham says as the meeting draws to a close, “I will escort Benjamin Franklin to acquire his supplies tomorrow.” ****  
** **

Murmurs of assent ripple across the table. It has been a long day—full of discussions of logistics and planning. William isn’t surprised that Thomas is gazing around, bleary-eyed, and clearly yearning for a drink. ****  
** **

“...and I trust that, between the four of you, Connor will be in good hands?” ****  
** **

Expressions ranging from mild alarm to barely concealed horror, the four Templars startle abruptly and straighten in their chairs. ****  
** **

Except Thomas, who manages to fall off his chair. ****  
** **

“I know Connor has been so looking forward to an opportunity to play in the Frontier,” Haytham continues, staring straight at William. ****  
** **

No. Absolutely not. William feels a cold sweat trickling down his back at the thought of his previously suggested activity. With the amount of trouble the boy caused in his own home, William  _ cannot _ take the lad outside. Saints preserve him, what if there is an accident with an animal trap? Or a hunting rifle? ****  
** **

He opens his mouth, trying—and failing—to come up with something to say. In the end, he slowly nods and prepares to sign his sanity away. ****  
** **

But Haytham smiles slyly, as if he knows exactly what William is thinking. “Never you mind. I am sure that you will find something mundane to occupy him with. Shall I leave you with some hiccup remedies as well?” ****  
** **

Sometimes, the Grand Master is a cruel man.

* * *

 

Haytham departs soon after to spend the remainder of the evening with Connor, leaving William and the other Templars still panicking at the table. ****  
** **

“The boy cannot be allowed outside the house,” Charles says flatly. “Who knows where he could wander off to.” ****  
** **

William exhales in relief and the others nod frantically, a chorus of “aye” ringing around the table. ****  
** **

John raises his hand. “But what should we do? You know Ben Franklin is… easily distracted when it comes to his gadgets. Haytham will likely be gone the whole day.” ****  
** **

“Well,” says William, “what do young lads like to do?” ****  
** **

He receives only blank stares in reply. ****  
** **

“Come now,” he says with an exasperated click of his tongue. “We’re not that old. Surely you people can think of something that you liked to do as a child?” ****  
** **

Charles snorts and sends a scathing glare in Thomas’s direction. “In fact, I would argue one of us still _ is _ a child.” ****  
** **

“Right,” William says, a stony smile fixed on his face as he attempts to keep the peace. “And what do you enjoy doing in your free time, Thomas?" ****  
** **

Thomas scowls back. Then his mouth widens into a nasty smirk that makes William immediately regret asking. ****  
** **

“Well,” Thomas says slowly, “I like a good, strong drink, a soft pair of breasts, and a warm, wet—” ****  
** **

“ENOUGH!” Charles yells desperately. ****  
** **

The two men continue to glare at each other across the table. Finally, William clears his throat and steers the conversation back to its original purpose. ****  
** **

“Let’s leave Haytham to discuss the, er, finer aspects of life with his son himself, yes?” he says delicately. “Now—any other suggestions?” ****  
** **

“To be honest, I rather enjoyed running around outside my house,” John says. ****  
** **

William nods, grateful for the more sensible idea. He should have known he could trust John. ****  
** **

But Charles makes a disapproving noise in the back of his throat. “And if the boy runs off?” ****  
** **

John grimaces, conceding defeat, and William sighs loudly. “Alright,” he says. “Anyone else?” ****  
** **

“Yeah, Charlie, what’d you do when you were a babe?” Thomas asks. ****  
** **

Charles’s brow narrows with irritation, and he refuses to make eye contact with Thomas as he grudgingly replies, “I remember reading quite a bit in my youth.” ****  
** **

“You kiddin’?” Thomas scoffs. “I ain’t makin’ the kid  _ read _ all day.” ****  
** **

“Then what do  _ you _ propose?” Charles’s voice is icy. ****  
** **

“... Used to play hide n’ seek around the house.” ****  
** **

* * *

“You want to play… hide and seek?” Connor repeats, glancing between his father’s men uncertainly. ****  
** **

Thomas frowns at the decided lack of enthusiasm. “Well if you’ve got a better idea, let’s hear it.” ****  
** **

Connor doesn’t answer immediately, picking absentmindedly at the fabric of the sofa while the four Templars stand around him. Finally, he mumbles a tad sulkily, “Wanted to read.” ****  
** **

Thomas can feel Charles’ eyes on his back as soon as the words leave Connor’s mouth. ****  
** **

“Don’t,” Thomas begins to say. ****  
** **

But Charles is already laughing hysterically. ****  
** **

* * *

“We’re playing hide and seek,” Thomas reiterates stubbornly. ****  
** **

Connor crosses his arms, bottom lip jutting out as he pouts. He wants to look through the journal that his father had shown him—the one with all the descriptions of animals and flora, and the drawings of fierce wolves and protective bears. ****  
** **

“And  _ then  _ can I read?” he asks, equally as stubborn. ****  
** **

Thomas sighs heavily but nods. “And to think you had such promise…” ****  
** **

Beside him, Charles snorts derisively. “I always knew Master Kenway would educate his child properly,” he says. “Now, since the three of you should be able to manage a simple game of hide and seek with the boy, I believe I shall take my leave once William and John arrive.” ****  
** **

Connor glances up eagerly at Lee’s words—hide and seek would surely be much more fun without the dour man’s presence—while Lee scowls back at him. The standoff is broken by the heavy  _ clang _ of the knocker on the front door. ****  
** **

“Ah,” Charles says, breaking the tension. “That must be them.” He sends Connor once last warning glare before leaving to open the door. ****  
** **

Immediately after Lee is gone, Thomas jumps to his feet. “Alright, kid, you go on and hide,” he says, rubbing his hands together eagerly. “We’ll be lookin’ for ya as soon as William and John hang their coats.” ****  
** **

Connor scrunches his nose as he watches Thomas scuttle out of the room. He has to hide? Glancing out the window, the young boy wonders if he can find a hidden spot in the courtyard that will still allow him to observe any wildlife among the foliage. Before he can escape, though, the Templars’ voices echo from the next room. ****  
** **

“Hurry up, lads, we’ve got a game to play!” ****  
** **

“Thomas, did you even explain the rules to him?” ****  
** **

“It’s hide and seek! How hard can it be? Ready? One, two—” Thomas begins counting loudly from the other room. ****  
** **

William’s voice suddenly interrupts, “You must stay within the home, Connor!” ****  
** **

“—three, four—” ****  
** **

“Don’t enter any locked rooms,” John hastens to add. ****  
** **

“—five, six—” ****  
** **

“Don’t touch anything you’re not supposed to!” ****  
** **

“—seven, eight—” ****  
** **

“And for the love of God, don’t get stuck anywhere!” ****  
** **

“—nine, TEN!” ****  
** **

Connor jumps at Thomas’s final exclamation, realizing that he was caught up listening to the exchange and has forgotten to hide. ****  
** **

Desperately, with the speed that only a ten-year-old can achieve when he does not want to be caught by the grown man careening toward his location, Connor bolts upstairs into the safety of his room. ****  
** **

Hide, hide, hide. ****  
** **

Under the bed? ****  
** **

No, too obvious. Besides, that’s where he stored his stash of chocolate that one of the housekeepers had given him. ****  
** **

A different room, then. Perhaps the bathroom? ****  
** **

Connor darts to the lavish second floor bathroom, only to realize that it doesn’t offer much in terms of hiding spots unless he wants to squeeze himself in the space between the toilet and the sink. ****  
** **

Gross. ****  
** **

Noisy footsteps at the bottom of the stairs spur him into motion once more and he skids to a halt at the other end of the hallway, where the door to his father’s room is tightly shut. Engrained with the rule that he is not to enter his father’s room without permission, Connor automatically turns around. ****  
** **

A flash of movement near the banister changes his mind. He cracks the door open—surprisingly unlocked—and creeps inside. ****  
** **

Raké:ni will not be particularly pleased with Connor when he returns. ****  
** **

Sitting on the Grand Master’s desk, though, is a worn, leather-bound book that instantly catches his eye and vanquishes all thoughts of the game of hide and seek or his father’s anger. Connor skips to the desk and eagerly seats himself in his father’s chair, eyes pouring over the diagrams of familiar-looking flowers and animals. ****  
** **

In his father’s neat handwriting, the words “ _ Aggressive—do not approach”  _ are written by a sketch of a mother wolf near its pups. ****  
** **

By another sketch— “ _ Small, jagged leaves. Berries can be eaten.” _ ****  
** **

“ _ Blue petals. Found only by the river. Ziio’s favorite.” _ ****  
** **

“ _ Sharp thorns. Unpleasant.” _ ****  
** **

_ “Stings. Do  _ not _ let Ziio fool you into touching them.” _ ****  
** **

Eye wide with delight, Connor giggles and moves on to the next page of note-filled drawings. ****  
** **

* * *

Several hours later, the three Templars are searching the house frantically for the absent boy. ****  
** **

“Where could he have possibly gone?” ****  
** **

“Has anyone checked the courtyard?” ****  
** **

“I told him not to leave the house!” ****  
** **

“Well, check anyway!” ****  
** **

“C’mon, now, he can’t have gone far.” ****  
** **

“Perhaps he found a key to a locked room?” ****  
** **

“I told him not to enter any locked rooms either!” ****  
** **

“Should we send for Charles?” ****  
** **

“Oi, Charlie don’t need to know!” ****  
** **

“We’ll have better luck with a fourth person searching as well.” ****  
** **

“He’ll throw a fit!” ****  
** **

“Would you rather  _ Haytham  _ come home to this?” ****  
** **

“... Fine.”

* * *

Charles has always admired how the gleaming remnants of the sun decorates the trail near his house during his evening walks with Spado. This particular sunset is even more vibrant than he is accustomed to, and he smiles serenely as his small Pomeranian waddles along beside him. He isn’t allowed an opportunity to relax very often. ****  
** **

A truly lovely evening… ****  
** **

Until he receives a letter from William asking him to return to the Kenway estate to search for Connor. ****  
** **

Moustache twitching, Charles picks Spado up, buries his face in the dog’s fluffy fur, and takes a deep, calming breath. ****  
** **

That blasted boy.

* * *

William, Thomas, and John are all crowded around the door to Haytham’s bedroom when Charles arrives. ****  
** **

“What are you doing?” he asks, baffled. “I thought the boy was missing.” ****  
** **

William grimaces. “Aye, and the only place we haven’t looked yet is Master Kenway’s room. Connor must have nicked the key from somewhere.” ****  
** **

“... Master Kenway’s  _ room _ _?_ ” Charles repeats, swallowing loudly. ****  
** **

“Yeah, Charlie, that’s the reason we called you, so why don’t you waltz right in there?” Thomas says and gives the other man a not-so-friendly shove in the back. ****  
** **

“Why  _ me?” _ ****  
** **

“You’re the second-in-command, aren’t you?” replies Thomas impatiently. “Now hurry up—who knows what could have happened to the kid by now! You can pick a lock, right?” ****  
** **

Charles glares back, ignoring the question addressed to him. “That certainly does not give me leave to enter the Grand Master’s room without his permission. In fact, he has expressly forbidden it numerous times. The only occasion that he has allowed one of us to enter has been…” ****  
** **

Three pairs of eyes fall on William, who blinks nervously. ****  
** **

Thomas immediately switches to shoving William toward the door instead. “That’s right! The boss let you in to look at one of the Native artifacts.” ****  
** **

“That was  _ three  _ years ago,” William protests and digs his heels in. “I hardly believe the invitation is still open. And I don’t believe it included breaking into the room in the future.” ****  
** **

John frowns. “You are, admittedly, the least likely to draw his ire should he return, though.” ****  
** **

William glances incredulously between them. “Absolutely not.” ****  
** **

Thomas swears loudly and walks up to the door, preparing to shoulder barge it down. “Fine, if no one else will—” ****  
** **

“Will what?” Haytham asks mildly, hands clasped behind his back while he raises his eyebrows at the scene before him. ****  
** **

“AUGH!” ****  
** **

Thomas whirls around and stumbles into Charles, who curses as they end up in a jumbled heap on the floor. ****  
** **

“Er…” John says, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “We think your boy has been hiding inside your room.” ****  
** **

“We were playing hide and seek,” William adds hastily. “But it seems Connor is… rather adept at hiding.” ****  
** **

“Or perhaps,” Charles says irritably from his position underneath Thomas’s arm, “the three of you are incredibly inept at seeking.” ****  
** **

Haytham’s blue eyes flash with amusement, though he calmly side steps the pile of limbs to open the door to his bedroom. Inside, still seated at his father’s desk, is Connor’s sleeping form. Out of sight of the rest of his men, Haytham’s features soften as he closes his journal and gently lifts Connor from his chair. ****  
** **

“Hide and seek, indeed,” Haytham murmurs wryly.

* * *

Faced with a closed door once more, the remaining Templars stare at each other in bewilderment. ****  
** **

“The door was unlocked?” ****  
** **

“Thomas.” ****  
** **

“It’s been unlocked this whole time?” ****  
** **

“Thomas.” ****  
** **

“Has it always been unlocked?” ****  
** **

“Thomas!” ****  
** **

“That cheeky bastard!” ****  
** **

“THOMAS.” ****  
** **

“ _ What _ , Charlie?” ****  
** **

“Get. Off me!”


End file.
